Stuttgart Police Chief Mike Smith said the department has suspects in the recent rash of break-ins across Stuttgart, but no one is in custody at this time.

On Wednesday, March 13, SPD officers turned in six reports that included residential burglary or breaking or entering/articles from a vehicle. On Monday, March 11, there were 11 reports with the same possible charges. Four more were reported on Thursday, March 14, for a total of 21 break-ins reported inside Stuttgart's city limits since Tuesday, March 5.

“We have decreased in the numbers,” Smith said, updating the Stuttgart City Council during Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting.

Only one residential burglary, criminal mischief report has been turned in by officers this week.

On Saturday SPD Sgt. Keith Smith was dispatched to the 400 block of South Anna after someone tried to kick in a door at a residence.

“(The victim) stated that the alarm company contacted him around 6:45 p.m. about the alarm going off at his house and when he arrived he found that someone had tried to kick in the side door,” Smith wrote in his incident report, that was released Wednesday.

The damage to the door was estimated at $200.

In other business the council approved to reappoint to the Stuttgart Parks and Recreation Commission Jay Coker, whose term will expire Jan. 1, 2018; Tanya West, whose term will expire Sept. 1. 2016; Clinton Scaife, whose term will expire Sept. 1, 2017; Richard Wilson, whose term will expire Nov. 1, 2015; and Butch Richenback, whose term will expire March 1, 2018.

The council also approved new member Matt Watkins to fill the position held by Teddy Holt. This position will expire June 1, 2017. Dr. Chris Morgan has submitted his resignation. The Council also approved to appoint Tim Johnson to fill Morgan’s position. The term will expire Jan. 1, 2016.

The appointments and reappointments were approved unanimously.

The council also established a city depository during Tuesday’s meeting. A state mandate requires a three-member board to designate depositories and supervise the depositing of municipal funds.

The mayor and city clerk are the first two on the board, but the third can consist of a city council member or the city finance officer. The resolution has named the finance officer over any city council member.

This portion was discussed at length. It was brought up that the mayor did not offer the position first to a council member, but the mayor explained she was going by a City of Greenwood resolution.

“This is the way it has always been done, but they need something on paper,” Maynard said. “State auditors said that we should have this written up.”

The council was asked if anyone would like to participate on the board instead of naming the finance officer. No member spoke up.

Page 2 of 2 - “I don’t mind the three, just felt like we were being omitted from the job,” Alderman Joe Alexander Jr. said.

Maynard said she took the ordinance directly from the City of Greenwood’s resolution, and thought the finance officer should be chosen since she is available at Stuttgart City Hall during working hours and has done all the city’s work in this department in the past.

The motion passed unanimously.

The mayor then added an item to the agenda for the Stuttgart Parks and Recreation Department to waive competitive bidding to purchase and construct foul nets and backstop fencing for the Reinsch Complex on Fields No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4.

The bid received totaled $35,919.68.

The competitive bidding was waived because the current system is no longer functioning properly and it must be replaced prior to the start of the youth sports season.